Bro John,

God is awesome.  Sometimes I want to say, “God, I just can’t believe all the little things you do for me!”

Sunday night, I couldn’t sleep because I was feeling quite uncomfortable.  But I reminded myself of a story you told years ago about mountain climbers being in a cleft on the side of a steep mountain.  It didn’t matter how uncomfortable it was during the night, the only thing that mattered was that they were still there in the morning.  I couldn’t remember any other details of the story, but I kept telling myself that part of it over and over until I fell asleep. 

Then last night, I tried to fall asleep but couldn’t. So I got up and piddled a few minutes.  Then I had the thought, “Hey, I wonder where my old headset-cassette player is because I can listen to it in bed and not wake Sammy.  So once I found it, I looked through my box of old cassette tapes.  The one I chose was “Leaking Vessels”, dated 3/15/92.  I put it in the player, but it didn’t come on. Checking out the batteries, I saw they had corroded and I looked like a big mess.  I put it on the counter for Sammy, to see if he could clean it up when he had time.  So today, he did.  

Just a few minutes ago, I put in that tape and guess what the very first thing on it was!!  You started telling a story about “these two mountain climbers on a very high mountain and they were in a desperate, dangerous situation because of a blizzard. It was getting dark and there was no way they could reach the top. What they did was find a crack in the rock and tied themselves in so that when they fell asleep, they wouldn’t fall.  They just waited until the next day.  Those mountain climbers said this: It didn’t matter how long the night was; the only thing that mattered was when daylight came, they were still alive. They were happy to still be there when the sun came up.

That’s the way the truth is.  It doesn’t matter what you have to go through in this life; we’re all on the mountaintop, and we can’t go up or down.  We’ve found the hiding place, and the only thing that matters is that when the sun is shining, we are still there. That’s the wonderful thing about the truth.  It keeps you tied into a safe place, and you won’t freeze to death in the blizzard.  You may be cold, but you won’t freeze to death. You may be uncomfortable, and it may seem like a mighty long time, but the important thing is that you are there in the morning. There’s still a chance to go on with God.”

I was overwhelmed by this entire incident.  What are my chances of finding that tape in a box full of wonderful old sermons?  I was so overwhelmed, I didn’t listen to any more of the tape because I knew that was a message for me.  I’ll listen to the rest of it tonight, I’m sure. God does care, and I am very thankful to have a good eye to be able to type this email to you!

Sheila

Hi Bro. John. 

The following is the dream the Lord sent to me awhile ago on which Bro. Darren based his song tonight.  It was so good to remember it and that Jesus really speaks to his people.  To hear his Voice IS Life!  I pray for more special times like this with him.

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Jesus woke me one morning with the following sobering conversation going on in my spirit.  He was looking down upon the earth and the condition of man:

Jesus:  “You would never know that the two go hand-in-hand.”

Me:  “What two?”

Jesus:  “Life and Death.”

Me:  “Why would you think that, Lord?”

Jesus:  “Because too many people are living and preparing for death.  They should be dying and preparing for Life.”

Sandy

Hi Pastor John, 

I am sitting here thinking about this weekend and it is so moving to me.  I feel such a tenderness from Jesus right now.  I feel like Jesus is teaching me about how to live.  How to be part of the body.  What faith is.  After the meeting today, I had brothers and sisters come up and just wrap their arms around me and pray.  I felt like Jesus was showing me how to function here in God’s family.  When we cannot pray for ourselves, the body will pray for us.

I could feel Jesus when they prayed for me, and I feel like this lesson (I keep calling a lesson on faith) may be so much more.  I feel like Jesus is teaching me who this body is, how it functions, and how to really live here.

I love feeling the power of God, but this sweet spot with Jesus is so tender.  It is still, and loving, and intimate.  I don’t want to leave this place.

Beth

Good Morning Pastor John, 

I woke up thinking about how much we need each other’s testimonies. When I was praying for Sheila, Jesus reminded me of who she was.  I kept hearing and saying, “good and faithful Sheila.”  That was Jesus reminding me who I was praying for. Because Shelia has told her testimony I know who Sheila is. I can see more of her heart. I knew who Jesus was talking about.

If we tell our weaknesses, our hopes, our joys, then when we need prayer, there is something to take to Jesus.  I needed John David’s testimony about his healing.  That testimony gave me hope and Jesus used it to teach me more about faith and more about how much we need each other’s testimony.  Iron sharpens iron.  That is so much clearer to me.  Ruth told me casually before the meeting last night that Jesus healed her of migraines.  I need that testimony from Ruth.

I love that we are not just a bunch of people thrown together.  We need each other.

Really loving our life, Pastor John. 

Beth 

Hi Pastor John, 

Judy and I were in a small turn of the century old-time town.  We were in a 2^nd story room and we looked out a window overlooking a courtyard that was set-up with music equipment and with chairs in front of it.  People started gathering around and one-by-one nd sat in the chairs.  A man stood in front of the microphone, but before he said or sang anything, the power of God fell on him and he fell down and started rolling which knocked down some of the music and mice stands.  He was rolling over top of them as he was speaking in tongues and praising God.

The people in the chairs were mocking this man and what they were seeing and you could see that some were afraid. The people started getting up out of their chairs and emptying the courtyard.  Judy and I looked over an empty courtyard as the man was still under the power of God and still rolling around.

Judy and I ran downstairs to see this man.  When we got there, Brother Earl, Sister Betty, and Amy met us and we all kneeled by the man as he was speaking in tongues with his whole heart. There was a feeling with us all that we wanted to hear anything (something) about God from this man.  As we were in reverence and praying around this man, Amy got in his lap and was crying, praying, and begging God for this man to speak to us.  As she was sobbing with her whole heart, the man opened his eyes and looked at us very calmly.  We felt the love of God from this person.  He then spoke, “Whatever is in your heart, is who you are.”

His words are so obvious, but they carried so much weight seeing and feeling the Spirit from this man confirming his words.  We hugged the man with tears, love, and with reverence and humility as each of us got up and we all went on our way.  

Billy M.

 

Hey Pastor John, 

I just watched your video posted on Facebook* on why most Jews don’t believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say it out loud like that.  I know that you’ve taught us that that’s what Jewish people believe, but to hear it from a Rabbi hurt my heart.

But it gives me a clearer understanding of why the things we’re learning about in Revelation must happen to the Jews in order to get the Jews to believe.

Just to think of that verse from Zechariah, when the Jews will ask Jesus where he got the scars in his hands, and he says, “in the house of my friends”!   I just imagined that Rabbi in the video as one of them.  The things we are learning are really real.  It just sank in more, listening to him.

Michelle

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Oh Pastor John,

I read Michelle’s email and watched that video posted about why the Jews don’t believe Jesus is the Messiah. I felt a defensive feeling as I turned on the video. Almost geared up for the debate but as I watched that video everything changed.

I felt such compassion for that Jewish Rabbi. I thought ” what would he say about me. What would he say about one so broken whom Jesus has changed so much?

Would he say something has happened but it is not from the Messiah, like the Pharisees said of the blind man Jesus healed? Would he recognize the power of God that makes me hungry for holiness, hungry for the things of God ?
I found myself thinking, ” Oh man of law how can I convince you? “

That video left me so humbled for what we know and what we have been given. So thankful Jesus has changed our hearts and touched our eyes. I thought of Paul and how desperately he would have wanted them to believe and to see how Jesus changed him.

Mmmmm this is so good and I am so overwhelmed with his love. I want that man to have an experience and know our Jesus.

Beth

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